Goodbye Marvel

[Transgirlofnofaith]

Well, Disney has announced they're buying Marvel Comics for $4 billion. Say goodbye to it before it gets Disneyfied. You will never see edgy stuff again. It'll all turn into cutesy fluff. This is the death of an icon. Sad, really.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/01/busin ... ml?_r=1&hp

[Rum]

Has it been edgy lately?

I was lucky enough when I was about 11 years old to stumble on the very first number one issues of Spider Man, The Fantastic Four and most of the others well known titles (I wish I had kept them now!!). What was different was the three dimensional characters and interplay between them. The old DC comics never really had that at all. And some of it *was* edgy - the text, the ideas and even the drawing. It is hard to imagine someone like Steve Ditko who drew Spider Man originally getting hired almost anywhere these days - well in comics anyway.

Personally I think the films have been mostly excellent (from my comic fan rather than movie fan angle). I could not have imagined when those first comics came out that they could have got them to look like that on the screen!

You are probably right about Disney at least making them blander, but let's hope not.

[leo-rcc]

My guess is that Marvel will make the series split into the more child friendly comics like the spiderman cartoon series, and the more teenager/adult version like the comics were when I started reading Spiderman and Punisher. That way they get revenue from both demographics.

At least its what I hope.

[Gawdzilla Sama]

So does that make all these 1960s comic worth more or less? (I can trade them for beer, I think.)

[Trolldor]

I think there are a couple of Disney subsideries that have done some dark shit, can't remember though... might have been another company I guess, ah whatever.
Point is, Marvel must be losing money and unable to stay afloat, or full of money whores who want fat checks.

[leo-rcc]

I think there are a couple of Disney subsideries that have done some dark shit, can't remember though... might have been another company I guess, ah whatever.
Point is, Marvel must be losing money and unable to stay afloat, or full of money whores who want fat checks.

You'd think with the success of the Spiderman and Xmen movies they'd be doing very well. Perhaps Disney is just on an expansionist spree.

[Trolldor]

I wish Disney would go fuck itself already.
In the arse.
With a rusty saw.

[Rum]

I have done a bit of background reading since the OP and I had a few personal illusions shattered in the process. I should have known of course given that we are talking corporate.

Stan Lee started Marvel and in his mid 80s he is still going strong it seems but he no longer owns it. Marvel is owned by shareholders you won't be surprised to know and Stan Lee has his own little production company which is currently developing multi-media comics for the web.

Disney's profits were down shitloads due to poor products and the recession of late and see Marvel as an opportunity - there's a pile of corporate crap on web sites of course about the 'products' and so on whch MArvel will bring with them.

Stan Lee has appeared in all the Marvel badged movies btw - and I have spotted him in all of them. I kind of assumed he was till in charge in some way, but clearly not. Marvel have not been anything like remotely independent and their own bosses in the way I used to imagine they were for many years now.

Watchmen now - that's a different matter!

[JimC]

I was a huge Marvel fan in the early days.

I live in the past, really...

[Rum]

I was a huge Marvel fan in the early days.

I live in the past, really...

Me too. It is a lot cosier!..and the air is cleaner.

[ScholasticSpastic]

I wish Disney would go fuck itself already.
In the arse.
With a rusty saw.

You hold Disney down, I'll help with the pneumatic sawfish snout.

(Must remember to clean it before it goes back in the toychest.)

[drl2]

Does this mean Phil Collins will be doing the music for Iron man II ?

[Xamonas Chegwé]

Does this mean Phil Collins will be doing the music for Iron man II ?

If that happens I will pull his baldy head off with my own bare hands! :pissed:

[owtth]

I think there are a couple of Disney subsideries that have done some dark shit.

The little mermaid is such a whore


Seyiously dow, Spiderman has been done to death but I quite liked Iron man and if they fuck it up I shall be ever so miffed, which I am sure will give the Disney execs pause.

[Pappa]

I agree with what someone said earlier in the thread... it won't make a great deal of difference. Marvel are already fully commercialised and Disney will want to cover all their bases by keeping the Marvel brand distinct from anything else they do. I expect it will be business as usual.